Vietnamese cuisine is influenced by Chinese, Thai, Indian, French, Russian and American – it is not as spicy as Thai and not as much stir-frying as in Chinese.  Similar to Thai, there are lots of simple fresh flavours.  I will never forget my reaction when my mom returned from a trip to Vietnam and told me she are rat – I was quite disgusted, till I found out that these were rats from the rice fields.. and not the kind you find in sewers!  There are also some other interesting local ingredients like python, gecko, bat and even dog.

Breakfast is usually a large bowl of pho (hot soup), made from beef broth, filled with noodles, bean sprouts, sprigs of fresh herbs and lean pieces of chicken, pork or beef. The soup as great flavour and is usually garnished with more fresh herbs or sprouts from the table and with condiments and dipping sauces on the table. In the more rural areas xoi, sticky rice steamed in a leaf wrapper is eaten for breakfast.

Most Vietnamese cooking is done in a wok or steamer.  Some common ingredients include bamboo shoots, dried shrimp paste, fermented fish paste (yea it smells!!), cellophane noodles (and lots of it), rice flour noodles, Nuoc Mam – a sauce made from fermented fish similar to Prik Nam Bplaa in Thai cuisine – used to add saltiness to foods and is diluted with fresh lime juice and sometimes vinegar, spiced with garlic and chopped chillies, and sweetened with a touch of sugar. Rice paper wrappers are used often, and make a great accompaniment or starter.

Fresh ingredients include coriander, mint, lemon grass, garlic, ginger, spring onions, basil, fennel and then an assortment of vegetables and lettuce.  All meals are accompanied by a table salad of assorted fresh herbs, salad greens, sprouts and pickled vegetables and an array of dipping sauces, pickles, flavourings, and garnishes.

One distinct feature of Vietnamese cuisine is the do-it-yourself method of eating. Mealtimes are spent picking and choosing from what's on the table, wrapping it in lettuce or rice paper and dipping in a sauce. A fresh or moist rice paper wrapper is placed in the palm of your hand – topped with shredded lettuce, a piece of meat, a couple of strips of pickled radish and some fresh herbs and rice vermicelli, the ends are then tucked in and it is roll up, like a spring roll and dipped in Nuoc Cham before eating.

Vietnamese cuisine is influenced by Chinese, Thai, Indian, French, Russian and American – it is not as spicy as Thai and not as much stir-frying as in Chinese.  Similar to Thai, there are lots of simple fresh flavours.  I will never forget my reaction when my mom returned from a trip to Vietnam and told me she are rat – I was quite disgusted, till I found out that these were rats from the rice fields.. and not the kind you find in sewers!  There are also some other interesting local ingredients like python, gecko, bat and even dog.

Breakfast is usually a large bowl of pho (hot soup), made from beef broth, filled with noodles, bean sprouts, sprigs of fresh herbs and lean pieces of chicken, pork or beef. The soup as great flavour and is usually garnished with more fresh herbs or sprouts from the table and with condiments and dipping sauces on the table. In the more rural areas xoi, sticky rice steamed in a leaf wrapper is eaten for breakfast.

Most Vietnamese cooking is done in a wok or steamer.  Some common ingredients include bamboo shoots, dried shrimp paste, fermented fish paste (yea it smells!!), cellophane noodles (and lots of it), rice flour noodles, Nuoc Mam – a sauce made from fermented fish similar to Prik Nam Bplaa in Thai cuisine – used to add saltiness to foods and is diluted with fresh lime juice and sometimes vinegar, spiced with garlic and chopped chillies, and sweetened with a touch of sugar. Rice paper wrappers are used often, and make a great accompaniment or starter.

Fresh ingredients include coriander, mint, lemon grass, garlic, ginger, spring onions, basil, fennel and then an assortment of vegetables and lettuce.  All meals are accompanied by a table salad of assorted fresh herbs, salad greens, sprouts and pickled vegetables and an array of dipping sauces, pickles, flavourings, and garnishes.

One distinct feature of Vietnamese cuisine is the do-it-yourself method of eating. Mealtimes are spent picking and choosing from what's on the table, wrapping it in lettuce or rice paper and dipping in a sauce. A fresh or moist rice paper wrapper is placed in the palm of your hand – topped with shredded lettuce, a piece of meat, a couple of strips of pickled radish and some fresh herbs and rice vermicelli, the ends are then tucked in and it is roll up, like a spring roll and dipped in Nuoc Cham before eating.